Tourism Is Big Business: Tourism Today Is Big Business

2. Tourism Today Is Big Business

In what many consider as being the largest industry in the world, tourism, travel and hospitality make up the lion 's share of various economies globally. In the United States alone, a record $1.5 trillion was produced in 2013.

Resulting in over 7.8 million US jobs, and accounting for more than 9 percent of all exports from the US, it 's estimated that one out of every 18 Americans finds himself/herself employed in one way or another by the travel or tourist-related sector. Such is the impact on the US economy, that a full 2.6 percent of the gross domestic product directly comes from the tourism and hospitality sector.

Global impact of this industry resulted in a staggering $220.6 billion in sales and

- Travel Agencies And Modes Of Travel:

Travel Agencies

If being people-oriented is for you, then checking into the travel agency business may be your cup of the proverbial tea. As a private retailer providing travel and tourist-related services and many times a representative of airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, and package tours, travel agencies also specialize in making travel arrangements for commercial and business purposes as well.

Likewise, travel agencies also serve as general sales agents for foreign travel companies, who otherwise wouldn 't have a US-located headquarters.

Air Travel

Accounting for more than 16 percent of the travel industry 's output, airline growth averaged an approximate 5 percent growth increase during the past 30 years. That being said, airline travel is projected to double over the next 10 to 15